Special to the Opelika Observer
Covington Recreation Center is renaming their summer adult basketball league after Opelika native and former basketball star Roscoe “Roc” Thomas.
A dedication ceremony will be held at Covington Recreation Center on July 11 at 6 p.m. Members of the Opelika community are invited to join Thomas’s family for the presentation.
Thomas played basketball at Opelika High School and after graduating, went to Troy University where he continued his basketball career. He eventually returned to Opelika, where he became a fixture in the community.
“Roc was kind of a pillar in the community and someone who wanted to elevate and inspire people,” said Covington Center Supervisor Bobby Nix. “Our byline for the league is ‘a legacy of sportsmanship, competition and respect’ and that sort of embodies Roscoe. He was quite a player in his younger days.”
Thomas died in January 2018, mere months before the summer basketball league exploded in popularity. During the 2018 summer season, many younger kids joined the league at the encouragement of Kingston Frazier, an OHS graduate and collegiate basketball player.
“It’s a shame he had to pass right before the league took off,” Frazier saud. “He was there when my dad grew up playing in the rec and when I grew up playing in the rec. He’s like a real legend over there. I’m excited to honor him.”
The summer basketball season is for adults ages 18 and older. It runs June through July and will feature a championship game at the end of the season. Games are played on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Covington Recreation Center. Admission is free and open to the public.
